Automatic roll adjustment for rolling-mills.



W. R. CLARK. AUTOMATIC ROLL ADJUSTMENT FOR ROLLING MILLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, I9I3| Toe:

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Patented July 13, 1915.

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" nan WALTER RHCIIARK, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG-NOR T0 BRIDG-EPORT BRASS COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPOR-T, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 11, 1913. Serial No. 753,628.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1,.WALTER R. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residin in' Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and tate of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Roll Adjustments for Rolling-Mills, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic means for adjusting relatively to each other the rolls of mills such as commonly employed for reducing comparatively thin, flexible lengths of metal.

The invention is primarily intended for use-with stands of rolls for rolling com paratively thin strips of brass or other metal, but certain features of the invention may be used to advantage in other connections.

My improvements are also primarily designed for use with rolling mills arranged in tandem fashion, forsimultaneous reduction of a strip or sheet fed from one mill to another, but in some aspects of the invention the tandem arrangement of 'the mills is not essential.

The rolling of strip metal in thin gages has heretofore generally been confined to the use of a single rolling mill through which the strip is passed to reduce its thickness, and from which the strip passes directly to the winding drum. There have recently been some attempts to roll these strips by passing them through two or more sets of rolls placed in tandem with each other, but this tandem rolling has been unsatisfactory owing to theimpossibility of maintaining a definite amount of slackness in I that portion of the strip between the two sets of rolls. In some cases the intermediate portion of the strip is subjected to too much tension, with the result that the metal is often stretched or strained beyond its elastic limit, thereby causing inferior surfaces and unevenness in'gage. In some instances the tensionmay even be sufficiently great to rupture the strip. On the other hand, if the slackness is too great the metal will loop up between the different sets of rolls with al- "most equally undesirable results. Of course,

manual speed adjustment of the respective individual rolls has been attempted, in order to avoid these drawbacks, but it has been found impossible for the operator to so control the relative speeds of the rolls in this manner as to maintain a uniform slackness 1n the strip between the different sets of rolls. In other cases, where the tandem arrangement of the mills is not adopted, it may be important to maintain a definite amount of slackness in a strip passing from a rolling mill to a power driven blocker or theillike or in a strip being fed into a rolling m1 The primary object of the present invention is to meet the above conditions by provldlng an automatic roll adjustment for a rolling-mill which is controlled by variations in the slackness of the stock operated on by sald mill, whereby the slackness of the stock will be maintained automatically between certain definite limits. When two (or more) mills are arranged in tandem,.

the rolls of one mill will be automatically ad usted by variations in the slackness of the strip at a point between the mills, in

a tandem arrangement of the mills, this definite tension of the strip is particularly con ducive to the most effective operation of the second mill, and it will'be maintained automatically when the operation of the installation has once been properly started.

Another object of the invention is the pro- Vision of means whereby the rolls of a rolling mill may be adjusted in accordance with the variations of position of a suitable controlling member engaging the stock emerging from' (or passing to) said rolls.

0 these and other ends, the invention consists in .the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

. In the accompanying drawing, Figure l Patented July is, rare.

is a diagrammatic plan view of a tandem. V I

rolling mill installation embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sideelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3

is a vertical transverse section through one with by the usual reducing gearing, and

the mill B is similarly driven by means of an electric motor 17. The particular means for driving the two mills is, however, unessential.

The strip or other stock to be rolled, passes from a holder 18 through the rolls 11, 12 and thence through the rolls 14, 15. The reduced stock emerging from the rolls 14, 15 is wound or coiled on a blocker or winder 19. Suitable guides of Well known form, which'it is not considered necessary to describe in detail, are associated with the respective sets of rolls and a guide roll 20 guides the metal strip as it emerges from the rolls 11, 12, while asimilar guide roll 21 guides the metal as it enters the rolls '14, 15.

-Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the roll 11 of the mill A is adjustable vertically in its bearings by Jmeans of apower operated device '22. This device 22 comprises, in the embodiment shown, a hydraulic cylinder 23 having a piston 24 the rod 25 of which is connected with wedges 26 and 27. These wedges 26 and 27 coiiperate with the bearings of the roll 11 in such a manner that when thewedges are pushed inward by the device 22, said roll 11 will be approached more closely to the lower roll 12, whereas I when the wedges 26, 27, are pulled outward ,shown in Fig. .2. .Wh

the roll 11 will be free to move away from the roll 12' to a certain extent. In the form shown, the piston rod 25 acts directly on the wedge 26- and the latter acts on the wedge "27 through its connection therewith, by

means'of a rod 28. In order to vary the adjustment of the roll, 11 by means of the device 22-,as required by different conditions, the Wedges. 26 and 27 .bear uponcorrespondingly tapered abutments 26 and 27 which are ad ustable in a vertical direction by] means ,of screws 29 and 30.

The ends of'the-hydraulic cylinder 23 are connected by means ofpipes 31 and 32 respectively with an ordinary type of fourway valve 34 which is also connected with a pressure pipe 35 and'an exhaust pipe 36, as

en the valve is in the position shown in' Fig. 4, the pressure pipe 35 will be in communication with the pipe 31 and. the pipe 32 will be in communication with the exhaust pipe 36, whereby the piston 24 will be urged toward the left with reference to Fig. 3. When, on the other hand, the valve 34 is in the position shown in Fig. '5, the pipe 32 Will'be in communication with the pressure pipe 35 and the pipe 31 will be in communication with the exhaust pipe 36 so that the piston 24 will be urged toward the right with respect to Fig. 3.

The valve 34 is automatically controlled in a direct manner by"'variations in the slackness of the strip emerging from themill To this end the valve proper has connected therewith an operating lever 37 connected by means of a link 38 to an arm 39 on a rock shaft 40. This shaft 40 carries rigid arms 41 between which is journaled a roll 42 adapted to rest on that portion of the strip intermediate the rolls A, B. One

of the arms 41 is limited in its angular movement about the axis of the rock shaft 40 by means of stops 43 and 44, and a treadle 45 may be fixed to the shaft 40 for the purpose of facilitating the movement of the roll 42 into and out of tensioning position with respect to the strip.

The operation ofthe apparatus is substantially as follows: The strip is fed from the holder 18 through the rolls 11, 12 over the guide roll 20 and under the roller 42, the latter being raised by the treadle 45. The forward end of the strip is then passed over the guide roll 21, through the rolls 14 and 15 and onto the winder 19. The treadle is then depressed to carry the roll 42 down on to the strip. The rolls 11, 12 are adjusted relatively to each other for the normal reduction which is desired, by means of the manually adjustable screws 29 and 30. Both mills are then started, the speeds of the motors 16 and 17 being suitably chosen or adjusted. The slack portion of the strip between the two mills supports. the controlling roller 42, and the weight of this roller is so chosen that it will tension the strip to a certain definite degree conducive to the most effective operation of the mill B. Under normal conditions, the mill A will not tension the stock entering the mill B and the tension on the latter will be solely regulated .by the weight of the tension member 42. ,This conditionis maintained automaticallyby the connection of the tension member 42 with the four-way valve 34, for if the slackness of the strip tends to decrease below the normal, the member 42 will be raised by the tightening of the strip thereby shifting the valve 34 (through'the/G nnections 41, 40, 39, 38 and 37) into .aposition wherein mo tive fluid will be admitted to the pipe 32,'as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the piston 24 will be thrust toward the right with reference to Fig. 3. Hence the wedges 26 and 27 will be moved outward to a certain extent relatively to their openings in the stand and the roll 11 will be permitted to move away from the Matteo roll 12 so that the tension will be relieved.

On the other hand, if the slacknes'sof the intermediate portion of the strip tends to increase beyond the normal, thefoureway valve 34 will be moved in an opposite directlon so that the wedges 26 and 27 will be thrust inward to approachtheroll 11 closer by the described arrangement of the parts the reduction effected bythe mill A will be so controlled in an automatic manner by variations of slackness in-the strip emerging from said mill, that the slackness. of the.

strip between the mills will be kept practically constant. As a result, it will be impossible forthe strip to be strained or ruptured between the mills, and on the other hand, it will be-impossiblefor it toloopup between the mills to an inconvenient or undesirable extent. As previously stated, I donot wish'to limit myselfin all aspects of the invention to a roll adjustment for rolling mills ar-- ranged in tandem. Moreover, the invention A is not necessarily restricted to the rolling 1 rolls as the stock passing from saidjniillt'osaid supporting and advancing means. is

a predetermined eXtent;; s ub-;j

' vice for one of said mills actuated automatwe of metal in strips or'sheets. lldanifestly the automatic roll adjustment may be applied to one or more mills of. a series in which there are three or more mills arranged in tandem fashion. Various chan es inthese and other respects may be ado to within the scope of" the inventionas de ed'lin the claiins.

WhatI claim is: 1. The combination withfa rolling mill, of

a roll adjusting device therefor actuated au-' tomatically by variations in the slackness of; the stock operatedjon by said mill;-s ubstan-' tially as described. 2. The combination witha rolling mill, of

means for adjus ingthe rolls of said millrelatively to each other, and a'power operated device .for operatingsaid-adjusting,

means, controlled automatically [by variations in the slackness'of the strip operatedon by said, mill; substantially as described.

3. The combination with the rolls of a rolling mill, of. automatic means for approaching one of said rolls tlnward the other as the slackness in the stockemerging from the mill increases; substantially as de-,

scribed.

4. The combination with a rolling mill, -and rotary means for supporting and advancing the stock issuing from-said mill, of

an automatic adjusting device for saidmillwhich decreases the 'distance between the slackened to stantially as described.

,and meansspaced from said rolls for sup- 11. The combination.. with'a stand of rolls,

7 5. The combination with a rolling mill and means for supporting the stock emerging therefrom, of means to cause an automatic separation ofthe rolls of said mill as the slackness in the stock emerging from said mill decreases; substantially as described. I

6. The combination with a rolling mill, and means spaced from said mill for supporting the stock emerging therefrom, or mechanism for decreasing the distance between the rolls of said mill as the stockslackens between said mill and said sup porting means, and for causing a separation of said rolls as such stock tightens, and means for operatingnsaid mechanism by variations in the slac ess of the stock; substantially as described.

7. The combination with a pair of rolls,

porting the stock emerging therefrom, of means, including an element floating on the stock between said rolls and said supporting means, to decrease the distance between said rolls as the emerging stock slackens and to increase the distance between said rolls as the emerging stock tightens; substantially .as described. I 8. The combination with a pair of rolls, of power-operated means for adjusting the bite of said rolls, a controller for said poweroperated means adapted to rest freely against the stock while it passes through the rolls, and means for decreasing the distance between said rolls as said controller moves in" one direction, and for increasing the distancebetween said rolls as the con-.

stantially as described.

x";-9.-The combination wlth' a pair of rolls, of means for moving one of said rolls tod the other',"a power operated device to -actuatelsaid[means, and controlling means for said power operated device comprising "an element adapted to rest on and tension the stock acted on by said rolls; substantially as described. I

j 10. The combination with a pair of rolls, of-mean's for moving one of said rolls toward the other, a hydraulic device to operate said means, and a controlling means for 'said hydraulic device including, a member adapted to rest freely on the stock emerging from said rolls; substantially as describedu i of means for moving-,one of said rolls to- .ward' the, other, a hydraulic device for operating said means, a controlling valve for said device, and means actuated,- by the 1315 stock. acted .on by said rolls to operate said controlling valve; substantially as described.

12. The combination with .rolling mills arranged 3n tandemfofa roll adjustingdeically by variations in the slackness in the stock between the mills; substantially as described.

13. The combination of rollin millsarranged in tandem, and a roll ad usting device in connection with the mill which first receives the stock, automatically-controlled by variations in the slackness of the stock between said mills; substantially as described.

14'. The combination of rolling mills'arranged intandem, means for driving said mills, a roll adjusting device for one of said mills, a power operated device to operate said roll adjusting device, and a controlling member for said power operated device adapted to float on the stock at a point between said mills; substantially as described.

15. The combination with a rolling mill,.

of power operated. means to move the rolls relative to each other, a regulating devlce for governing the movement of sald power operated means, and a controller for said regulating device, adapted to rest freely against the stock while it the mill, and having a plurallty of difi'erent operative positions; substantially as described.

16. The combination with a rolling mill,

of a roll adjusting device therefor, means to operate said device, an element adapted torest freely against the stock passin through said mill, and having a plurality 0 different positions to which it is moved by engagement with the stock as the latter passes through the mill, and means interposed between said element and the means for operating said roll adjusting device for varying the adjustment of the rolls in consonance with the various positions assumed by said element; substantially as described.

17. The combination with a pair of rolls, of power-operated means to move one of said rolls relative to the other, a regulatin device for governing the movement of sai power-operated means, and a controller for said regulating device which rests freely against the stock while the latter passes through the rolls, and which is movablein one direction to decrease the distance between said rolls, and in another direction to increase the distance between said rolls; substantially as described.

18. The combination of rolling mills arranged in tandem, and automatic means controlled by the stock passing through said mills formaintaining a practically constant tension in such stock, including a roll adj usting device for one of said mills; substantially as described.

19. The combination of rolling mills arranged in tandem, and automatic means for maintaining a practically constant tension in the stock between said mills, including a power operated rolhadjusting device for one passes through of said mills, and means for controlling the same in consonance with the varlations 1n the slackness of the stock; substantially as actuate said .means, means to support and advance. a flexible metal strip acted on by said rolls, and controlling means for said power operated device, comprising an element adapted to float on the strip in the interval between said rolls and said supporting and advancing means; substantially as described.

22. The combination with a pair of rolls, of means for moving one of said rolls relatively to the other, a power operated device to actuate said means, means to support and advance a flexible metal strip acted on by and emerging from said rolls, and controlling means for said power operated device, comprising an element adapted to float on the strip n the interval between said rolls and said supporting and advancing means; substantially as described.

23. The combination with a rolling mill, of means for supporting and advancing a flexible metal strip acted on by said mill, and mechanism for maintaining an approximately constant tension in the strip operated on by said mill, including a roll adjusting device for said mill, and a controller for said roll adjusting device adapted to float on the strip in the interval between said mill and said supporting and advancing means; substantially as-described.. I

24. The combination with a pair of rolls for reducing a metal strip, of means for varying the distance between said rolls, a power operated device to actuate saidmeans, a controlling member for said power operated device, adapted to engage the strip passing through the rolls, and having vaing movements of said member into movements of said roll adjusting mechanism; substantially as described.

26. The combination with a pair of rolls for reducing a metal strip, of means for varying the distance between said rolls, a power operated device to actuate said means, a regulating device for said power operated device, a member adapted to engage the strip passing through said rolls, and means for converting movements of said last named member into movements of saidregu lating device; substantially as described.

27. The combination with a pair of rolls for reducing a metal strip, of means to vary the distance between said rolls, a regulating device for said means, a roller adapted to engage the strip passing through said rolls, and means for moving said regulating device automatically in consonance with variations of position of said strip-engaging roller; substantially as described.

28. The combination with a pair of rolls for reducing a metal strip, of a power operated device to vary the distance between said rolls and a controller for said power operated device, adapted to engage the strip passing through the rolls, and having a plurality of different operative positions corresponding to different adjustments of the rolls by said power operated device; substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 4th day of March 1913.

"WALTER R. CLARK. Witnesses:

L. M. ALLEN,

F. SMITH. 

